An ongoing study of income distribution found that the richest 1% in America took 19% of national income last year, their biggest share since 1928. The top 10% of earners held a record 48.2%. During the recovery between 2009 and 2012 real family incomes rose by an average of 4.6%, though this was skewed by a 31.4% increase for the top 1%. For the other 99% incomes rose by just 0.4%. See article

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Gary the Human

All the Gods and all religions are created by humans, to meet human needs and accomplish human ends.

Yeah. It’s fully rigged. They own the shop.
Our Representatives are no longer democratically representing “us”. Whatever “us” means anymore.
And you’re goddarned right! Reagan! That’s when the whole show went back up for sale since the Gilded Age.
Look at these momos playing theater with their new bank regulations.
It’s a friggin’ joke!! Kabuki Theater. Half the electorate is tied up in BS wedge issues.
Lower-to moderate middle class morons who don’t even know they are voting against their own interests.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.[/

But Reaganomics does serve the wealthy and powerful very well. That’s why it survives. People further down the food chain assume they’ll be at the top one day and they are voting to protect what they see as their future wealth.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.

Excellent point. And not only does the propaganda machine turn them against government, it turns them against the media (avenue of education…sometimes) and liberals, who tend to want to help them (it’s a We society, not a Me society). You have to admit though, the right wing powers are brilliant.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.

Excellent point. And not only does the propaganda machine turn them against government, it turns them against the media (avenue of education…sometimes) and liberals, who tend to want to help them (it’s a We society, not a Me society). You have to admit though, the right wing powers are brilliant.

Not only brilliant, but have the funds to push their agenda!

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Gary the Human

All the Gods and all religions are created by humans, to meet human needs and accomplish human ends.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.

Excellent point. And not only does the propaganda machine turn them against government, it turns them against the media (avenue of education…sometimes) and liberals, who tend to want to help them (it’s a We society, not a Me society). You have to admit though, the right wing powers are brilliant.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

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As a fabrication of our own consciousness, our assignations of meaning are no less “real”, but since humans and the fabrications of our consciousness are routinely fraught with error, it makes sense, to me, to, sometimes, question such fabrications.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

They MODERATED them? Do you mean “moderated” as in the HUAC hearings and the blacklists?

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

They MODERATED them? Do you mean “moderated” as in the HUAC hearings and the blacklists?

It is true that since WWII, right wingers have used the fear of Communism to promote their goals. In the early 20th century, however, progressive agendas such as anti trust measures and reforms to placate unions were put in place. I think, these sorts of reforms would not have been viable without the upper echelon capitalists’ fears of violent social turmoil that seemed imminent.

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As a fabrication of our own consciousness, our assignations of meaning are no less “real”, but since humans and the fabrications of our consciousness are routinely fraught with error, it makes sense, to me, to, sometimes, question such fabrications.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

They MODERATED them? Do you mean “moderated” as in the HUAC hearings and the blacklists?

It is true that since WWII, right wingers have used the fear of Communism to promote their goals. In the early 20th century, however, progressive agendas such as anti trust measures and reforms to placate unions were put in place. I think, these sorts of reforms would not have been viable without the upper echelon capitalists’ fears of violent social turmoil that seemed imminent.

The kicker is that some of the people who’ve been harmed the most helped them do it. Knuckleheads can’t see that they’re being manipulated by a right-wing propaganda machine that turns them against the government, which is the only institution with any power to prevent capitalist excesses.

So I agree with Gary and add that the problem is also Reagan culture, which says that government is part of the problem. People who think Reagan was a great president elect politicians who keep the government either at bay or in service to corporate and other right-wing interests, then they can’t figure out why government doesn’t serve them and is so corrupt. I hate to use the word “stupid” but it does come to mind.

Excellent point. And not only does the propaganda machine turn them against government, it turns them against the media (avenue of education…sometimes) and liberals, who tend to want to help them (it’s a We society, not a Me society). You have to admit though, the right wing powers are brilliant.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

That is a major part of the US political mess currently. With no outside enemies to unite us, the politicians have to create conflict within the country to get elected.

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Gary the Human

All the Gods and all religions are created by humans, to meet human needs and accomplish human ends.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

They MODERATED them? Do you mean “moderated” as in the HUAC hearings and the blacklists?

It is true that since WWII, right wingers have used the fear of Communism to promote their goals. In the early 20th century, however, progressive agendas such as anti trust measures and reforms to placate unions were put in place. I think, these sorts of reforms would not have been viable without the upper echelon capitalists’ fears of violent social turmoil that seemed imminent.

I don’t know, they don’t seem particularly fearful to me.

Not to you, as you are reality based. But IMO the average delusional Tea Partier mindset, is scared poop-less of Obama turning us into a Socialist country (and they are thereby motivated to actively oppose their own self interests and actively support completely unrestrained Capitalism (which should actually be feared).

What I think that we should fear is the strong undercurrent in our political system that seeks to destroy rational restraints on capitalism and to destroy social safety net programs. As I think this undercurrent, if successful, will inevitably lead to violent civil unrest, as broad violent civil unrest may be seen as necessary to re-establish a sane and just government.

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As a fabrication of our own consciousness, our assignations of meaning are no less “real”, but since humans and the fabrications of our consciousness are routinely fraught with error, it makes sense, to me, to, sometimes, question such fabrications.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

That is a major part of the US political mess currently. With no outside enemies to unite us, the politicians have to create conflict within the country to get elected.

That reminds me of Reagan’s seeming pining for an extraterrestrial invasion, as he believed that this would unite the world against a common foe.

(We were united briefly against Al Qaeda, for a short time after 9/11. But George W screwed that pooch, by his erroneously justified and insanely inadequate invasion of Iraq.)

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As a fabrication of our own consciousness, our assignations of meaning are no less “real”, but since humans and the fabrications of our consciousness are routinely fraught with error, it makes sense, to me, to, sometimes, question such fabrications.

Where is the threat of creeping Communism when you need it? (Fears of the spread of Communism helped moderate right wing political agendas when our nation was faced with this level of income and wealth inequalities during the early 20th century.)

They MODERATED them? Do you mean “moderated” as in the HUAC hearings and the blacklists?

It is true that since WWII, right wingers have used the fear of Communism to promote their goals. In the early 20th century, however, progressive agendas such as anti trust measures and reforms to placate unions were put in place. I think, these sorts of reforms would not have been viable without the upper echelon capitalists’ fears of violent social turmoil that seemed imminent.

I don’t know, they don’t seem particularly fearful to me.

Not to you, as you are reality based. But IMO the average delusional Tea Partier mindset, is scared poop-less of Obama turning us into a Socialist country (and they are thereby motivated to actively oppose their own self interests and actively support completely unrestrained Capitalism (which should actually be feared).

What I think that we should fear is the strong undercurrent in our political system that seeks to destroy rational restraints on capitalism and to destroy social safety net programs. As I think this undercurrent, if successful, will inevitably lead to violent civil unrest, as broad violent civil unrest may be seen as necessary to re-establish a sane and just government.

Yes, I agree. The problem is getting them to see it. I fear they won’t until it’s too late. Even then, I’m not so sure most will get it.